I don't believe in love.
I believe in control.
Boardroom ki glass walls ke uss paar poora shehar chamak raha tha, par mere liye duniya hamesha ek hi rule follow karti hai—power belongs to the one who never hesitates.
"Bring her in," maine calmly kaha.
Door khula, aur woh andar aayi.
Anaya Sharma.
Simple kurti, thake hue eyes, aur chehre par woh expression jo sirf majboori se aata hai. Fear nahi—desperation. I've seen it a hundred times before. People don't come to me unless they have no other option.
She stood in front of the table, hands clenched.
"You wanted to see me?" uski awaaz soft thi, par usme strength thi. Interesting.
I slid the file towards her.
"Sign it."
Usne file kholi. Pehle page par bold letters mein likha tha—
Marriage Contract Agreement.
Uski aankhen widen ho gayi.
"Yeh… yeh kya hai?"
"Exactly jo likha hai," maine bina emotion ke jawab diya. "A contract marriage."
Woh hansi. Nervous, disbelieving laugh.
"You think this is funny?" usne poocha.
"No. Efficient," maine kaha.
She looked at me, really looked at me for the first time.
"You don't even know me."
I leaned back in my chair. "I know enough. Tumhari maa ICU mein hai. Tumhare paas time nahi hai. Aur mere paas resources."
Silence.
Uske haath kaanp gaye.
"How… how do you know that?"
"I know everything," maine calmly kaha. "That's why I'm sitting here, and you're standing there."
She scanned the contract, page by page. Terms clear the—
One year marriage.
No emotions.
No interference in my personal life.
Public appearances only when required.
In return—
Her mother's medical expenses.
A monthly allowance.
Security.
"This isn't marriage," usne dheere se kaha.
"Exactly," maine reply kiya. "That's why it will work."
She looked up, eyes filled with anger. "You're buying me."
I smiled slightly. "No. I'm offering you a deal. Tumhare paas choice hai."
"Really?" uski awaaz bitter thi. "Agar main mana kar doon?"
I stood up.
Har step jo main uski taraf leta gaya, uski saansein heavy hoti gayi.
Main uske bilkul saamne ruka.
"Then your mother's surgery gets delayed."
I paused. "Aur delay ka matlab… tum samajhdaar ho."
Tears welled up in her eyes, par ek bhi gira nahi.
Strong. I liked that.
She took the pen.
"This is wrong," usne kaha.
"Most powerful things usually are," maine jawab diya.
Her signature paper par aa gayi.
Just like that—
She became mine.
Not in a romantic way.
In a legal way.
I took the file, satisfied.
"Wedding will be registered tomorrow. Media ko handle main kar lunga."
She looked at me, shattered but composed.
"I hate you."
I met her gaze. "Good. Love would have complicated things."
She turned to leave, par door tak pahunch kar ruk gayi.
"One year ke baad?" usne poocha, bina peeche dekhe.
"You'll be free," maine kaha. "That's the deal."
She nodded and walked out.
Door band hua.
For the first time in years, mere chest mein kuch ajeeb sa feel hua.
Not guilt.
Not regret.
Unease.
I looked at the contract again.
I had won.
So why did it feel like this deal…
was about to cost me more than I planned?